~ The view of the Tolaini winery from atop Al Passo ~
Tolaini is blessed with an amazing legacy. That’s quite a statement for a winery that barely counts its 25th birthday. In a region where estates measure their existence by centuries, in many cases finding evidence of their genesis in documents thousands of years old, Tolaini has forged an incredible path.
During the Rustic Tuscany Tour, we visited the estate two years in a row. We had amazing lunches, saw harvest work in action and of course, tasted some of their wonderful wines.
~ Harvest was still in swing the last time we visited and if I recall correctly, this was Cabernet being pulled from the tank ~
Tolaini produces a wide array of wines. Their Chianti Classico is excellent and their Al Passo, a Cellar Sentinel if ever there was one. But perhaps the estate’s prowess lies in their top tier wines; Picconero, Valdisanti and Gran Selezione. Today’s article discusses the Gran Selezione and the estate’s newest wine.
~ The 2023 Tour Group enjoying lunch in the Tolaini wine cellars ~
The 2021 Tolaini Montebello Sette Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is stupendous. This is a single vineyard wine (from vineyard #7) that is rich in clay and galestro. The vineyard was planted in 2000 and is now 25+ years old. Grapes are harvested by hand and sorted twice; first manually as whole clusters and then individually scanned by an optical sorter. Fermentation takes place in French oak. Aging takes place in French barrique and large Austrian cask.
This is gorgeous right from the “pop” and it never slows down. Look at the color! This is fresh and vibrant on the nose with juicy wild berry and cherry aromas joined by tobacco and hints of coffee. On the palate, the flavors are like lasers. Flaky minerality seems to coat the fruit which is fresh and lively. The tannins are intricately woven and although the structure of the wine is medium to full bodied, they do not get in the way at all. This wine is a gem and in the Gran Selezione arena, a value around, and even under, $40. 95 points. Find this wine.
~ An exceptional Gran Selezione from a single vineyard ~
The next wine has a great story and for the time being, a unique one.
~ Spatchcocked Chickens on the Big Green Egg were the perfect foil for these Sangiovese ~
The “Mello 700” vineyard takes its name from being 700 meters above sea level. It is the highest vineyard in all of Chianti Classico. Planted in 2001, the grapes for this wine were used in several of Tolaini’s other wines until 2020 when it was bottled as a single vineyard. The IGT designation is mainly due to the fact that 20% of the wine ages in Amphorae, which is against the DOCG regulations. (along with the bottle shape)
The 2020 Tolaini Mello 700 Sangiovese is a deep garnet color. After hand harvesting, 80% of the grapes are de-stemmed and sent to the optical sorter. The remaining 20% are fermented in amphorae as whole clusters. Aging is in the Amphorae and large Austrian cask.
On the nose, the pristine nature of this Sangiovese is unadulterated. Crushed cherry, violets and hints of soft spice mark the nose. On the palate, this medium bodied Sangiovese is crispy and snappy. Cherry and cranberry notes are matched with sweet herbs and toasted spices. This is not a bruiser by any means, but an elegant, juicy expression of Sangiovese. Really wonderful. 94 points. Only 3,300 bottles produced. Find this wine.
As wonderful as this 2020 is, I can imagine the 2021 to be better and can’t wait to try it.
~ Mello is a Burgundian, elegant Sangiovese ~
Tolaini is making wonderful wines across a broad array of varieties and price points. I encourage you to seek some of them out. They are a major player in Castelnuovo and have good importation to the US.
~ The “front lawn” leading the winery and reception area ~
Salute!
